Page 2B East Oregonian SPORTS Friday, May 15, 2015 Horse Racing Seattle Mariners left fielder Rickie Weeks Can Derby winner American Pharoah commits a fielding error as he fails to become next American idol? catch a sacri- fice fly hit by By RICHARD ROSENBLATT anymore, and no losses since. Boston Red Associated Press With a new rider in Victor Sox’s Mookie Espinoza, American Pharoah Betts in the BALTIMORE — From won the Del Mar Futurity and ninth inning a Kentucky horse farm to the FrontRunner Stakes with of a base- a sales ring in Saratoga to ease. He would have been the ball game Thursday Bob Baffert’s barn at Santa favorite for the Breeders’ Cup in Seattle. Anita, American Pharoah Juvenile, but Baffert noticed Brock Holt gave every indication he’s a something wrong — a slight scored on champion in the making. discomfort in the colt’s left the play. So what if part of his tail front foot. American Pharoah AP Photo/ is missing and he has cotton missed the race, still was Ted S. Warren stuffed in his ears before voted 2- year-old champion races? To owner and breeder and didn’t return to the races Ahmed Zayat, his Kentucky AP Photo/Patrick Semansky for nearly 5 1/2 months. Derby winner and Preakness Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah, with exer- “When he got hurt it was MARINERS: Seattle favorite American Pharoah is cise rider Jorge Alvarez aboard, gallops at Pimlico Race the most gut wrenching thing the horse of lifetime. Course in Baltimore, Thursday, May 14. The Preakness of my life,” Justin Zayat struggles with runners on Stakes horse race is scheduled to take place May 16. “He is sheer brilliance said. “When he came back it Continued from 1B pitch and Seager followed and comes with unbelievable proud American Pharoah is a learned how to be a race- wasn’t a sigh of relief, it was with a single. The pair character,” said Zayat, who homebred, a son of his Derby horse. The breaking process more of just happiness to see crashing into the wall. He quickly turned and threw to advanced on a wild pitch was just warming up. “He is runner-up Pioneerof the Nile went well, and Zayat called in him back, proud of him.” and Cruz scored on Logan a character. He is a horse that and grandson of another trainers for his “breeze show” The comeback was ¿rst for the double play on Taylor to the inning. Taylor Morrison’s slow grounder. is kind, sweet, heady, classy, Derby runner-up, Empire to showcase his latest crop. a splashing success. He But the Mariners missed beautiful. It’s very rare to have Maker. His mother is a horse Baffert immediately romped in the Rebel over a likely would have scored if Victorino failed to make the another chance in the eighth a horse that has it all. He does named for Zayat’s daughter, stated lobbying Zayat’s son sloppy track at Oaklawn Park when Cano singled on a everything as effortlessly as Emma, Littleprincessemma. Justin, the general manager in Arkansas, winning by 6 1/4 catch. The Mariners continued 3-2 pitch with one out and you can ever think.” “A to Z, he is Zayat of Zayat Stables. lengths. Then he clobbered Cruz reached when Barnes In the months after the bay blood,” the owner said of “As soon as I saw this the ¿eld by eight lengths in to struggle with runners in scoring position, leaving couldn’t chase down his colt was foaled at Stockplace American Pharoah. “His horse work on the farm, I the Arkansas Derby three tapper off the end of the dad is the ¿rst horse I bred sent him a video and Bob weeks before the Derby. Cano standing at third in Farm, outside Lexington, bat. Barnes recovered and Kentucky, on Feb. 2, 2012, then who won a Grade 1. It’s like said to me, ‘Justin, remember Sent off as the Derby the ¿rst inning and failing moved to Vinery farm, Zayat saying your ¿rst team ever the Breeders’ Cup is in Cali- favorite, American Pharoah to score with the bases got Kyle Seager to ground received glowing reports, won the Super Bowl. And fornia this year,” Justin Zayat struggled most of the way in loaded and one out in the into a double play to end the particularly about the way he now he comes and wins the said. “He wanted our horse. third place, then fought for the fourth. Mike Zunino struck inning. acted around other horses. Derby and avenges the losses He saw how good he was lead coming out of the far turn. out looking and Boston got Seattle was 0 for 6 with “Usually, when they are of his dad and grandfather?” from Day One. If you want to He overtook stablemate Dort- a break on Dustin Ackley’s runners in scoring position. young, they’re silly, they hit At Vinery, it was Frances give a horse time to prepare mund, then outdueled Firing groundball that bounced off TRAINER’S ROOM each other and jump on each Relihan, operations manager for the Derby, you’re going Line and won by a length. If the glove of ¿rst baseman Mariners: CF Austin other like little kids,” Zayat said. at the time, who told Zayat to give him to Bob Baffert.” nothing else, it showed Amer- Mike Napoli but right to Jackson went through “I kept getting told he’s acting his colt stood out. All did not go well when ican Pharoah could still win Dustin Pedroia. Kelly raced another day of running on so mature and con¿dent, like “She told me he is ‘the American Pharoah arrived in despite not running his best race. over in time to cover and his sprained ankle. Seattle ‘I’m the leader of this group.”’ best foal she ever saw,”’ Baffert’s barn at Santa Anita. “The sign of a great horse get Ackley for the ¿nal out. is still hopeful he could go Right now, he’s leading Zayat recalled. “He was just The colt, who, according to is one that has everything go Seattle pulled even in the out on a rehab assignment many to believe he can win the showing tremendous leader- Zayat, lost part of his tail against him and still wins,” sixth. Cruz walked on a 3-2 this weekend. Preakness on Saturday, set up a ship qualities.” when Preakness rival Mr. Z Ahmed Zayat said. Triple Crown attempt in three And then it was on to bit it when they were in the Baffert won’t argue. He weeks at the Belmont Stakes Taylor Made, where the sales ¿eld, was a sensitive sort. loves what he sees. and end a record 37-year gap team convinced Zayat his Distracted occasionally. It “As always, he just Àoats MURPHY: Bucks going for since Af¿rmed swept the colt could raise Pioneerof the showed in his ¿rst race. Under over the track,” the ¿ve-time Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Nile’s pro¿le with breeders, Martin Garcia, he ran second Preakness winning trainer ¿rst undefeated CRC season “I am not going ahead owners and buyers. most of the race, went wide said Thursday after Amer- Continued from 1B improvement) right away.” of myself,” Zayat said. “We So into the ring he went on the turn, weakened in the ican Pharoah and stablemate Hillmick said Murphy’s have to win the Preakness at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga stretch and ¿nished ¿fth going Dortmund galloped around opponent’s batting average. extreme coachability and have to see what happens selected yearling sale, but 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar. Pimlico Race Course for the In 50 innings pitched she’s allowed rapid progress, and before allowing myself to with a caveat. Zayat would Baffert went the cotton ¿rst time. “He’s a very sound allowed only 38 hits and 16 Pendleton has only called think of glory.” not sell for under $1 million. route for a ¿x — cotton in and healthy horse. He just runs (two per game). Her on backup pitcher Lauren Zayat, who has spent As it turned out, Zayat bought the ears (earplugs if you moves over the ground really strikeout total is low (28), Richards three times in millions on horses since him back for $300,000. will). It’s standard operating well. He’s just brilliant. Does but so is her walks (16). CRC play — all starts in diving head ¿rst into the On to Ocala, Florida, procedure before each race everything so effortlessly.” “It’s about hitting spots, the second half of double- business 10 years ago, also is where American Pharoah now. Not much acting up It’s what champions do. and maybe we’re not going headers. to overpower somebody Murphy said she’s — even though she throws pretty darn hard, 58 (mph) excited to see some STANFIELD: Tigers improve to 12-0 at home this season maybe 59 on a good day different teams in the playoffs, but before she Continued from 1B a balk was quickly called, a lead-off triple, and jogged reached on a bunt single, — but she hits her spots,” Hillmick said. “I think it’s a starts focusing on that the Grogan said it was important awarding Jenson the plate home when Justin Keeney allowing Jenson to get to %ucks are looking to ¿nish and Stan¿eld’s ¿rst run. But blooped a 2-2 pitch just third. Two pitches later, Fitz- lost art.